Gift Giving

Women might be the ones that typically take care of the household chores but they also are often the ones working hard early in the morning, during nap time, or late at night to make a little extra money for their families. If you’re close to a woman entrepreneur there are probably a lot of tools and extras that she would love to have that she either hasn’t thought about or doesn’t want to spend her money on this Christmas. Take a load off of her shoulders by providing some of that as a way to show her how much you support her and her business.

This Rule the World planner would be the perfect gift for a new boss. It’s got plenty of pages for her to record her daily and weekly tasks, as well as plan out her editorial calendar in the monthly pages. And no one can resist the gold foil design on the cover!

I love this desk calendar! It is perfect to sit on an easel on her desk keeping her apprised of what day of the week it is (which can be surprisingly easy to forget!). As well, the opposite side of each monthly calendar boasts a beautiful print of an encouraging message that she can frame or adorn her office walls with after using the calendar. The muted colors of this calendar are also going to coordinate with almost any office decor so you know that she’ll love displaying these pages on her desk. Gift them with an easel for the perfect #GirlBoss gift.

I recently purchased this book for myself and I can’t wait to dive into it in the new year. After hearing Jenn Sprinkle on Jamie Ivey’s podcast I knew that I needed this book. It is made up of prayers and devotions by amazing women entrepreneurs of faith such as Jennie Allen, Lara Casey, and Holley Gerth. The variety of topics covered in this book touch every aspect of life as a dreamer and doer and works hard to move you toward their goal of “keep[ing] you tethered to your faith and to the Lord, who without His saving grace, all dreaming and doing is in vain.”

If she’s a mom and an entrepreneur chances are good that at some point she has called herself a Naptime Hustler. Those who have walked this tightrope of entrepreneurship with little’s underfoot know that nap time is often packed to the brim with work calls and tasks before you drop it all to spend time with your babies. Remind her that you recognize this struggle and celebrate her with these gorgeous shirts. They are super soft American Apparel shirts and are available in three different colors. It will quickly become her go-to t-shirt to wear while she’s conquering the world one naptime at a time!

This book is definitely on my Christmas list after hearing women that I admire over and over refer back to it during Stationery Academy this summer. I’ve heard that this is the book of his to start with so if she’s a new businesswoman she will appreciate your support of her dream and all the knowledge that she’ll learn while she reads. If she’s been in the business awhile you might try his newer book Leaders Eat Last.

As you probably saw in my Mentor Monday post with Malena yesterday, KiraKira is a project that I’m passionate about. But even if purchasing one of these shirts didn’t support them I would still want one! Whether you’re looking at design from an engineering perspective or an artistic perspective this is the perfect shirt for her to wear when she’s knocking orders off of her to-do list. Make sure you note that these are ladies t-shirts and aren’t in unisex sizing so be aware of that when ordering.

This set of 8 Bible Verse cards would be the perfect Christmas gift for a businesswoman. Not only are they beautiful and come with an acrylic stand to display in her office, but they “[bring] a daily reminder of the beauty, joy and gift that being a business owner is.” These cards are 3×3″ so are small enough to stick in a stocking but are perfect as a gift on their own as well.

These planning cards will quickly turn into a daily must have for the #GirlBoss in your life. Made up of three cards — hashtag list, social media plan, and blog planner — these cards cover the necessities of life as a businesswoman today. And if she’s using any of the most popular planners, the planner insert option snaps into the coils of the planners making them easily transportable. Pair them with a new pack of dry erase markers and you’ve got a gift that she’ll be crazy about.

I shared about the lovely return address stamps that Hello World Paper Co does in the holiday gift guide, but today I want to share about their custom stamps for small businesses. I have had getting a stamp made with my logo on it on my to-do list for a long time but haven’t gotten around to it yet. I bet there are other businesswomen that are in the same place as me and would love a stamp for their business. If you can grab a file of their logo you can purchase this listing or you could purchase one of their cute packaging stamps. Any would be the perfect gift for a #GirlBoss!

This notepad set will make your #GirlBoss smile when she opens her gift. With a touch of humor and beautiful lettering, these notepads will be the perfect place for her to keep track of her ideas and t0-do lists. These notepads are also large (8.5″x5.5″) so she’ll have plenty of room to doodle new designs as well!

You don’t really get into the creative world without having an affinity for doodling and drawing. And with that desire to constantly create you run through your drawing pads very quickly. Which is why a new set of pens and drawing pads is the perfect gift for a #GirlBoss. Designers always love to try new tools and these pens debuted in 2015 so she probably doesn’t have a set yet. And drawing pads of all sizes will always be appreciated. Equip her to take her business to new heights in 2016 with brand new tools to create with.

I know that I might have created this list as a hint to those around me, but these are great gifts for all women entrepreneurs. For my family’s information I only have the book by Jenn Sprinkle already so anything else is fair game. 🙂 If you’re a boss, let me know what you think about my list. And let me know if I left anything off!

In case you missed it, a month or so ago we split the kids line from Tales of a Peanut into its own shop called miniPeanuts. They’re the same great products made by the same people, but they’re a little less overwhelming to look at since we revamped their listings and gave them their own space. Sometimes, like at our Sip and Shop, miniPeanuts and Tales of a Peanut function as the same business — since they actually are. But for the purpose of their holiday schedules, miniPeanuts will have different cutoff dates due to the longer lead time in their product creation.

We love our clients and love making their holiday season easier and better, but we also want to spend time with our family this season and not allow our work to take over. So to that end, we’re setting up some strict holiday deadlines and are determined to stick with them. While we would love to serve everyone who reaches out to us, if it is after one of these deadlines we hope that you’ll understand our desire to savor that time with our family.

With that being said, the above is our shopping schedule for 2015. We will be hosting a huge After Thanksgiving sale this coming Friday through Monday. You’ll find out more about that sale as well as a lengthy list of other shops who are hosting sales in a blog post on Wednesday.

International Orders

November 30 will be the last day for international orders with our regular shipping prices. We will ship these orders via USPS First Class International Service with an expected delivery date by December 24th. miniPeanuts cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas, but will guarantee that your order will go out before the cutoff date that the USPS sets for First Class International Service. If you are international and would like more assurance of your order delivery, please email us before purchasing so that we can upgrade your shipping.

Orders Within the United States

December 7 will be the last day for orders shipping within the United States. We will ship these orders via USPS First Class Mail as described in our listing information. This date will allow us to work with you on your custom design and get your order created and shipped before the cutoff date that the USPS sets for First Class Service for an expected delivery date by December 24th. miniPeanuts cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas but will guarantee that your order will be shipped before that cutoff date. miniPeanuts will not be held responsible for missing this ship date if you are not available and accessible for proof approval before December 9.

Orders Within the United States with a Rush Fee

December 10 will be the last day for orders shipping within the United States but these orders will incur an additional rush fee. This fee will be $25 per order as well as an increase in the shipping costs. These orders will ship via USPS Priority Mail for an expected delivery date by December 24th. miniPeanuts cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas but will guarantee that your order will be shipped before that cutoff date. miniPeanuts will not be held responsible for missing this ship date if you are not available and accessible for proof approval before December 12.

Holiday Closing

Tales of a Peanut and miniPeanuts will be effectively closed from December 18, 2015 – January 3, 2016. Our shop will still be open for orders but no orders will ship before January 4, 2016. If custom orders are placed during this time, the order will not be worked on until January 4. Closing for this time period will allow us to spend time enjoying the holidays with our family as well as allow time to plan for the future of Tales of a Peanut and miniPeanuts in 2016.

Thank You

Thank you so much for all that you have done for us in 2015. We are so blessed to have the best customers and are so thankful that we get to serve you. We hope that you understand these deadlines and are happy to answer any questions that you might have. You may either fill out a contact request or email us with any questions or concerns. You can shop all of our products in our Etsy shop. If you’re interested in our adults line, Tales of a Peanut, then go back to one post previous for their holiday schedule.

Pssst…. As a heads up, there might be an extra special deal in our After Thanksgiving sale for those who subscribe to The Peanut Post, our newsletter. You can sign up for The Peanut Post on our website.

Today’s edition of our gift guides is all about the kids. Whether they’re infants or older, there’s a little something for everyone here. And if you missed yesterdays, you can always check it out in the Gift Guides category.

This gray shirt will quickly become a go-to favorite for your children ages 2-6. Screen printed by hand on comfy American Apparel tee’s, each shirt will vary slightly making them more special. And reminding your child that it’s ok to be a little wild is probably a good reminder in this day. Whether you’re encouraging your child to get outdoors and explore or reassuring them that you don’t expect them to sit still all day every day, this shirt will be pulled from the laundry basket as soon as it’s clean each and every laundry day.

This shop has lots of cute designs that can be made into either a bowtie or a bow. I love how easy it would be to get all of your kids matching with this shop! I’m a sucker for argyle and blue and gray is one of my favorite combo’s so choosing this design was a no brainer for me.

When I was in middle school we spent a lot of paper writing out MASH games. I can’t even image how many we would have gone through if we had a notepad ready to fill in! The designs from Toluka Paper are old-school and I love the bright colors and retro feel. (Although I don’t love so much that my time growing up now feels like a retro time period.) This 8×8″ notepad would be a great stocking stuffer for a pre-teen and would help you show them what we did before screens were everywhere.

For the trendy kiddo, this hooded tee would be the perfect gift. It would work for boys or girls without sacrificing style for either one. And I love that it has a hoodie that you can pull up over their sweet heads if you get outside without remembering how blustery the winter wind can be. And as a bonus, $2 of every purchase is donated to a children’s charity and for November and December that charity is Make A Wish!

Not only do I like to surround my house with beautiful prints to remind me of Biblical truths but I like to include them in my children’s rooms as well. That’s why I love this print so much. It personalizes a very popular children’s story to remind them how personal Jesus’ love is for them. And it can be customized to match any decor which makes it pretty much perfect.

If your kids are a little old for the Shine Bright tee then these Grunge Fairy Tale Shirts might be the perfect fit. With designs that are a little rough around the edges, these shirts will make your child smile. And in sizes 2-12 and on super soft American Apparel shirts, these will be come their favorites in no time. PS Erin also has onesies in this line as well if your kiddo isn’t quite to the t-shirt stage.

My kids love these durable plates and we celebrate special occasions with one designed just for them. As they set the table each night they love hearing the story behind each plate. This Flutter design is one of my favorites due to its vibrant colors and gorgeous watercolor patterns. And since these plates are dishwasher, microwave, and even oven safe and are non-toxic they are the perfect plate to let kids eat off of.

It might be early to be thinking of summer camps, but these postcards would make great stocking stuffers for your older kids. Especially if you’re gifting them with a trip to camp this summer for Christmas! The postcards limit the space your child will be required to write (which they’ll appreciate) and you’ll appreciate receiving mail while they’re away.

Lysa TerKeurst is a very popular writer in the women’s market but many might not know that she also writes fantastic children’s books. And her latest one, Win or Lose I Love You, will be perfect for my kids this Christmas. It’s message on how to handle winning and losing as well as reassurance that your love isn’t changed by the outcome will be a relief for kids to stick away in their minds for the future. Lisa’s books are beautifully illustrated and I love that they help bring about conversations with your kids in an organic way that doesn’t feel forced and that they can relate to.

Laminated placemats have become my saving grace for the kitchen table. It’s infinitely easier to scrape dried milk or pasta sauce off of a placemat in the sink than it is to scrape it from the grooves of the table. Not that I would know anything about that, of course. With a large size (12×18″), a thick lamination (10 mil), the ability to personalize the designs, AND the choice of two different designs for the front and back, you’ll be glad that you got these for your kids.

Many of you probably know Lionheart Prints for their irreverent prints and Yeaux Leaux collection, but Liz also has this adorable onesie that will encourage you to treasure those baby snuggles while you can. And with a screen printed onesie on a soft Rabbit Skins’ blue onesie this would be perfect for baby’s of any gender or a fun Christmas gift for the newly expectant Mama.

There you have it. My favorite gifts for the kiddos in your life. I think that any of these items would make an excellent gift for kids of all ages. Think I missed something? See something you love? I’d love to know about! Let me know in the comments or join in the conversation on Instagram! And you can support all of these makers by buying in their shops or by sharing this post and their products on social media. Please use the buttons below to share on any (or all!) of your favorite social media channels!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house! This week on instagram I’m sharing sneak peeks of my new holiday collection that will debut on Friday. I want to start the sneak peeks off with something that is near and dear to my heart.

I have blogged extensively about Compassion over the years on this blog. And while I’ve transitioned to writing more about business avenues, it still holds a special place in my heart. As I’m writing this there are 2,190 children that are unsponsored in their program. These children don’t have anyone to send them a Christmas card like the sponsored children do. So this month, I’m starting Tales of a Peanut Gives back. A program where I will choose a charity or organization that needs money or something tangible and will give a portion of the proceeds from my sales to that organization.

To kick this off, I have designed this print from Luke 2:10-11. It is one of my favorite verses because it specifically mentions that the gospel is for all people. It is especially poignant as I think of the children all over the world who might think that they are excluded from Christ’s love because of their circumstances. But this verse tells them that they are loved and Christ’s love is for them just as much as it is for anyone else.

How will it work?

For every $10 purchased from now through November 1 in my shop or my etsy shop, I will send one 5×7 Christmas card sharing this message to unsponsored children. In addition, I will include a 5×7 gold foil print of this verse in your order for free. I hope that you’ll join me in making the holiday season a little brighter for those children who don’t have a sponsor writing them letters and supporting them right now.

What if I want to order Christmas cards but am not ready to decide?

Later this week I will be adding gift certificates into both stores. If you want your order to be a part of this Compassion project but aren’t ready to decide on what items you would like, just purchase a gift certificate! This would also be a great gift for those on your list that might be harder to choose for. I’ll post on instagram when the gift certificates are available.

What if I don’t want to buy something but want to help?

I totally understand that my style is not everyone’s, but if you’d like to send a card to an unsponsored child yourself you can do so! Please mail cards to the following address:

I personally spoke with a staff member at Compassion and verified this address. Cards must be received by November 2. Cards will not be individually translated so should only include Bible verses that the children can look up and translate in their Bible’s on their own. I assume that general messages such as “I Love You”, “Merry Christmas”, and your name are also acceptable. Each card does not need its own envelope (you can mail them in one package), but if you do put each card in an envelope leave the envelope unsealed.

I hope you’ll join me in loving on the Compassion children who don’t currently have sponsors. If you have any questions about this project or want to let me know about a charity or organization that might want to be a beneficiary of Tales of a Peanut Gives Back in the future, please contact me via the Contact button at the top of the page. For more information on Compassion, please visit their website.

Watching: Madame Secretary. I am loving Tea Leoni’s new show with her as Secretary of State. I feel like it’s very similar to The West Wing only with a female lead.

Working on: Getting all my products listed in my own shop! If you read this in a reader you probably haven’t seen the redesign of our site. Katrina Martin at Riot Customs worked with me to implement my vision for Tales of a Peanut and the result is better than anything I could have hoped for. I haven’t talked about the redesign though because I’m still working on getting my shop set up. I’ve got some products listed and I wanted to share it with you now even though it’s still a work in progress. I’ll do a more in depth post on all the changes soon but come check out the new look and the new shop (I’m still on Etsy as well) if you haven’t seen it yet!

Planning: Hadley’s first birthday party. It’s hard to believe it’s that time but I sent her invitations to the printer yesterday. I’m doing a strawberry theme and now that I say that remember that I’ve got to get on ordering her cake! Here’s a sneak peek of her invite.

Looking back and reflecting on: Charlotte at 11 months since Hadley will turn 11 months tomorrow. These girls look almost identical.

Cooking: Strawberry Oatmeal Bars from The Pioneer Woman. Red put this recipe in the back of her book, Charlie Goes to School, and so the kids and I have been saying that we were going to make them for months. We finally got around to them this week and they are fantastic. The kids love them plain for a small dessert but Jason and I might have been adding some vanilla ice cream and heating them for dessert after the kids go to bed. Very tasty!

Wishing for: Courtney DeFeo’s Conversation Cups, a gift card for Athleta so I can by some new swimsuits and cover ups, some new slippers, and some new flip flops!

I feel the least qualified to write this post because I feel like boys don’t have a lot of options out there. But I think that’s probably why I need to focus on this list the most! I’m going to dig deep and try and do some good research to get you some good boy ideas. Let’s hope I succeed!